Lay shaft



Mar. 3. 1925. 152

E. w. SWARTWOUT i LAY AFT Filed Aug. 23, 1916 Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

STATES EYERETT W. SWARTWOUT, OF WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK.

LAY SHAFT.

Application filcd August 23, 191 6. Serial NO. 116,432.

TO all whom it may camera:

Be it known that I, EvERETT SWA TWOUT, a citizen, of the United States, and residing at Thite Plains, county of Vlestchester, State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Lay Shatts, otWhich the .following is a specification. A V

The invention relates tolay shafts.

More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in lay shafts and valve controlling means operated by the same con- Structed. and arranged to be unatfected by expansion and contraction of the engine due to temperature Variations. The invention is also directed to improved simplified means for operating the lay Shaft and the valve controlling means operated by the same.

In the hereinafter described specific embodiment of the invention, I have set torth a preferred form of the invention applicable particularly to steam engines, although it Will be understood that the invention is capable of general use under conditions of eX- pansion and contraction due to temperature Or other Variations for rotating or Oscillating a member and provided With mounting means therefor for rendering such variations ineiectual on the operation of such member.

In such preferred form of the invention as applied to steam engnes the lay Shaft is mounted in close proximity to the steam engine as by means of suitable mounting means directly on .the casing of the engine and the lay Shaft is osoillated preferably by means of acam carried directly by the engine Shaft and efecting the oscillation of the lay Shaft throughimproved driving means. Such arrangement; embodies advantages in simplicity of construction and operation of directly actuated cam shafts and avoids the use of beveledi or llliti'e gearing and special governingdevces, which have proven to be highly Complicated and expensive and of practical limitation.

Further features and objects ofiny in- Vention Will be more fully understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an improved type of unifloW engine provided With a lay Shaft and Operating means embodying my invention:

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the bearings of the lay Shaft shown in Fig. 1 On an enlarged Scale;

va'lves are designated 3, 4, respectively. The

frame 5 of the engine isv of any approved type. The engine Shaft is indicated at 6.

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in the drawings the eccentrio 7 is shown positioned directly on the engine Shaft 6. The relation between eocentrio 7 and Shaft 6 Will be varied hv anv approved means, as Will be understood by those skilled in the art.

The eccentric rod 8 is pivoted to the arm 9 of hell crank 10. pivoted at 11 On a Carrier arm, braclet or the lil(e and the arm 12 of hell cranl 10 is connected With the link 16 by means of a universal connection such as the pivot lng 13 extending through the opening in the stud 14 carried Within the fork 15 of the link 16. The link 16 is provided at its opposite end With a similar arrangement comprising the fork 1 earrying the stud 18 JI'OV-lClGCl With a suitable oaenino re eivin V the headed pivot 1119: 19 of the oscillating linlr 20, Connected to the lay Shaft 21. Figure 3 shows the lnlfs 1G and 20 and the connecting parts on a somewhat enlarged Scale. The lay Shaft 21 lS shown mounted on the forward braclet 22' and the rearward braeket 23. Preferably, the lav shatt 21 is of polygonal cross section. The lay Shaft 21 Controls the Valve Shaft -3 by means of the arm 24, link 25, and 'arm 26, the last named being connected directly to the Valve Shaft 3. Similarlv, the lay Shaft 21 controls the valve Shaft 4 by means ot 'the arm 27, link 28 and arm 29; As indicated, the valves are adjusted relatively to control the proper instants of entry of the steam through the respective entry ports Controlled by the same.

Referring to Figs 2 and 4 the forward mounting eomprises preferably the collar 30 having a eircular eXteriOr face 31' and 'an inner polygonal face 32 Conforming to the outer face of lay Shaft 21 but of slightly larger cross-section to permit 'movement relatively between the braciet 22 and the lay Shaft 21 in the directon of length of the lay Sha-ft 21, incident to expansion or contraction upon operation of the engine.

The collar 30 is provided With the Seat 33 receiving the arm 2? and On the opposite face is provided With the positioning plate 34 having' the adjusting screws 35. Preferably, the arm 24 is mounted on the lay Shaft 21 by means of similar collar 30 and retaining and adjusting plate 34: combined With the bracket 23, said plate 34 of the arm 24 retaining the la shal t 21 against longitudinal movem'ent relative to the bracket 23 by making a Close lit With the lay Shaft 21 or by means ot' a set screW, as generally indi- Cated at 39 in Fig. i or in any Other approved manner. Accordingly, upon expansion and contraction of the casing l and therewith of the braeket 22 relative to the lay Shaft 21, the arm 27 Will be maintained Continuously in proper relationship to the arm 29 of the valve Shaft 4 and in proper relation to the valve Shaft 3 and its operating parts.

The adjustment of the eXtent ot' throw of the valve shafts, i. e., extent or' Oscillation of the lay Shaft 21, may be modified by proper adjustment of the arm 9 of bell crank 10, as by means of the adjusting nut 86 having a right hand and left hand screw threaded connection, see Fig. with the parts of said arms 9.

A universal connection of suitable construction such as the ball and socket type may be substituted for the specific connection shown. In Fig. 1 I have shown the ball and socket joint 40 connecting one end of the link 16 With the arm 12 of the bell crank 10, and the ball and socket joint 4:1 connecting the opposite end of the link 16 With the arm 20 of the lay Shaft 21.

Accordingly, it Will be noted that the invention aflords the maintenance of the desred relative Operations of the valve regulating ports irrespective of expansion and contraction due to temperature Changes.

The invention is also characterized by simplicity of construction and assembly, decrease in space required, positiveness in act on and simplioity in adjustment.

I Claim:

1. The combination With an apparatus constructed to beoperated by a medium at a temperature different from atmospheric temperature and having a plurality of C01?" responding ports and valves controlling said ports, of means for simultaneously controlling said valves to uniformly determined extents independently 'of any variaton in temperature effected by the medium in the operation of said apparatus, said controlling means comprising an oscillatable relatively long member having a portion of angular Contour, an element fiXedly mountecl on Said member and controlling one ot' said valves and another member having an opening of similar angular Contour but of relatively larger cross sect on and receiving the angular portion of said member and controlling another of said valves.

In an engine valve gear, the combination of a rocker oscillating on an aXis at a right angle to the engine cylinder aXis, a lay Shaft parallel to the cylinder aXis, and connecting means between the rocker and lay Shaft, to operate the latter, said means ncluding universal joints permitting variations in relative position between the Shaft and rocker, the lay Shaft being mov-able longitudinally relative to the cylinder, Whereby expansion of the cylinder Will not vary the angular relation of the lay Shaft and the rocker.

3. The combination With an engine cylinder and its valves, of a valve operating lay Shaftextending beside the cylinder and parallel thereto, a lever vibrating on an axis at an angle to the aXis of said Shaft, and connected to the lay Shaft, and means to operate the lever, the lay Shaft being movable longitudinally relative to the cylinder. Whereby expansion of the cylinder Will not vary the angular relation ot' the lay shal't and the lever.

4. In an engine valve-gear, the combina t on With an engine cylinder, its valves and Crank Shaft, ot means actuated by the crank Shaft to produce reciproeating movements in a plane parallel to the aXis ot the engine cylinder and means to convert said movements into movements at a right angle to said aXis and transmit .same to the valves, the last mentioned means including devices to permit variation of the position of the valves Without varying the angular relation of the movements So converted.

In testimony Whereof I have signed this specification.

EVERETT W' SVARTW'OUT, 

